The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Brunswick West

Brunswick West is a bustling and vibrant neighbourhood that has long been known for its diverse population, rich cultural heritage, and an eclectic mix of cafes, bars, and shops.

Property developer AVJennings, in partnership with Homes Victoria, is developing&nbsp;Harvest Square at 8 Kitchener Street,&nbsp;with the project set to cater to a variety of buyers, offering a diverse range of housing options.

The new Harvest Square buildings will comprise of a mix of public and private housing as a part of the Victorian Governments $86.05 million investment into the redevelopment in Brunswick West as part of the state's Public Housing Renewal Program.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139951 project_image_fid=212688]

The private component of Harvest Square will offer a range of floorplan options in the new inner north community, with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a collection of two and three-bedroom townhouses, designed by the architects at SJB. &nbsp;

The buildings have been designed with sustainability in mind and is independently certified to achieve 5 Star Green Star, 7 Star NatHERs, and Gold and Silver Liveable Housing Design ratings.

A liveable home is designed and built to meet the changing needs of occupants across their lifetime. Liveable homes include key living features that make them easier and safer to use for all occupants including people with disability, ageing Australians, people with temporary injuries, and families with young children.&nbsp;

Harvest Square is also an all-electric community, while also boasting an 18-metre wide green corridor with productive plantings for all to enjoy.

Publicly accessible open and green spaces will be developed across the site by Tract Consulting, including a green spine running through the site, delivering up to 3,200 sqm of open space.

At least five per cent of the new social housing homes will be easy to access for Victorians with disabilities, with drop-off areas, paths, lifts and car parking set to be included, in addition to the design of some of the homes, with kitchens, bathrooms and storage set to also be very accessible.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139951 project_image_fid=212691]

Located just six kilometres from the CBD, Brunswick West is a highly accessible suburb, with a realm of public transport links and easy access to major roads and highways, including the CityLink Freeway. The area is known for its vibrant community atmosphere, with a mix of young professionals, families, and students all calling Brunswick home.

The well-established community also places residents within proximity to a range of local parks and playgrounds, including Dunstan, Jacobs and Montgomery Reserves, along with a plethora of cafes, shops, and schools.&nbsp;

The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and the Capital City Trail are also easily accessible from Harvest Square.&nbsp;

Construction team&nbsp;Arc3 has been tasked with building the community, which is slated for completion in December 2024.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139951]

alisonwarters@gmail.com

AVJennings launch Harvest Square in Brunswick West

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A high-profile site on a corner position in Melbourne's north suburb Brunswick West has been sold for $1.89 million.  
The sale price reflected a tight 4.6% yield, with the property leased to Bottlemart Express.
The 531 square metre block at 82-86 Melville Road and 250 Hope Street was sold Fitzroys agents Chris James and Ervin Niyaz to a local investor. 
James said the campaign generated more than 70 enquiries from mostly developers and land bankers.
Zoned Commercial 1, the site has a shop and rear dwelling building totalling 450 square metres, and frontages to Melville Road, Hope Street and a right of way totalling 65 metres.
“Developers see value in Brunswick West due to the increased and ongoing development and the growing local population,” Niyaz said.
“The purchaser was particularly attracted to the corner block and value-add perspective, and liked the potential to carve up the shops into smaller tenancies and renovate the dwelling on Hope Street for the short-term." 
According to population and demographics research house, .id, Brunswick West is in the middle of a population surge of 3.68% per annum that is well above greater Melbourne’s nation-leading rate.
James said the ongoing popularity of medium and high-density living across Melbourne’s inner-north has spilled across from Sydney Road and the Upfield train line through Brunswick.
“Residential developments recently completed and in various stages of planning and construction throughout Brunswick West are creating more demand for retail and services in the area, particularly along Melville Road, and the new owner of the property will look to capitalise on this,” he said.
“The property is situated amongst a vibrant neighbourhood precinct, notable lifestyle and retail tenants include Postmistress Eatery, Mister Troung’s, Foodworks and 7-Eleven, and is at the doorstep of the Route 58 tram stop, which offers services running through the hospital precinct and near Melbourne University and RMIT University and Queen Victoria Market through to the CBD.”
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Brunswick West corner site sold for $1.89 million

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It's unprecedented times for Brunswick and surrounding suburbs Brunswick East and Brunswick West. Never before have the trio of postcodes been so popular with Melbourne's apartment builders with 13 separate projects currently under construction.

The yield of apartments from these projects is set to exceed 1,300 dwellings. Brunswick East leads the way with seven projects under construction, followed by Brunswick with four and Brunswick West with two.

Sourcing Apartments.com.au's Project Database, the area is traditionally dominated by medium-sized apartment projects averaging 40-50 dwellings, although the current count of 1,300 apartments under construction is skewed by two large projects which jointly account for approximately 700 apartments under construction.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image40_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Ettaro and York Brunswick West are underpinning the area's construction progress"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="221" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image40_4.jpg?itok=te8wrDOg" title="Ettaro and York Brunswick West are underpinning the area's construction progress" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ettaro and York Brunswick West are underpinning the area's construction progress</figcaption></figure>The largest with 400 plus apartments is Brunswick East's Hayball-designed Ettaro which is rapidly approaching completion at the hands of LU Simon, whilst York Brunswick West has seen works begin on the second phase of the project for developer R.Corporation.

Most recent to begin construction have been The Moreland and Protec Property Group's The Dux located adjacent to Anstey Station. A long time favourite of Apartments.com.au, Anstey Precinct as it has been christened is a pocket of Brunswick dedicated toward urban renewal/higher density living.

Joining The Dux under construction within Anstey Precinct are Hendrix Apartments and 8 Bresse Street, with the much publicised Nightingale Apartments on Florence Street set to begin its build. Post its visit to VCAT and subsequent minor design alterations, Nightingale is now poised to become the latest project within Anstey Precinct to offer "delivery of tangible, meaningful, visitable and assessable built outcomes," following in the footsteps of <a href="/news/is-this-melbournes-best-new-residential-development">The Commons</a>.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_4890.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Bensons Property Group's C3 Brunswick"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="380" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_4890.jpg?itok=kYDuEGLs" title="Bensons Property Group's C3 Brunswick" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Bensons Property Group's C3 Brunswick</figcaption></figure>Further to the 13 projects under construction, Apartments.com.au has identified a further 10 apartment projects set for an imminent construction start. 

Among them is Alpha 14 Property Group's Crest on Sydney Road, the aforementioned Nightingale Brunswick and what shapes as Moreland's tallest project to date, Brunswick Heart. Set over 14 levels, site preparation for the RotheLowman-designed project is complete with a builder set to take site possession shortly.

These 10 projects combined will add another 800 plus dwellings to Moreland's ballooning apartment market.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_4929.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="MakShaq's 8 Lygon is moving toward construction"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_4929.jpg?itok=RF9uPV-H" title="MakShaq's 8 Lygon is moving toward construction" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>MakShaq's 8 Lygon is moving toward construction</figcaption></figure>Whilst construction and projects at sales remain robust within Brunswick and its adjoining suburbs, there are signs that the surge in apartments may be slowing.

2016 has brought a discernible slow down in the number of larger apartment projects filtering through Moreland City Council's online planning platform. Indeed scant few new listing within Moreland have been added to the Apartments.com.au Project Database in recent times as developers seem content in delivering on the healthy backlog of approved projects.

With the persistent talk of market oversupply, the easing of projects at planning could also be a sign that developers have cooled on the Brunswick market somewhat given it has traditionally been the domain of smaller sized apartments aimed toward investors and singles/couples.
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silvermb

Unprecedented times for Brunswick's apartment growth, but can it last?

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When you mention <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Brunswick</a> to anyone who's from the other side of the Yarra you're quite likely to get a rendition of the Franco Cozzo ad, a massive expletive-ladden anti-hipster tirade or hushed jibes about lefties.

However we need to question how long those stereotypes will last. Apartments.com.au labelled <a href="/news/hotspots-lygon-street-east-brunswick">Lygon Street in Brunswick East a development hotspot</a> in August 2013 and the picture today is dramatically different. Not that Lygon Street is seeing significantly less development, it's that the planning applications are flying in from all over Brunswick and increasingly <a href="/new-apartments/coburg-vic-3058">Coburg</a>.

A quick glance at the <a href="/">data portal</a> for Moreland shows there are currently 69 projects across the municipality yielding a total of 5,575 units across all statuses. 57 of those projects with 4,293 units are located in postcodes 3055, 3056 and 3057: <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-west-vic-3055">Brunswick West</a>, Brunswick and <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-east-vic-3057">Brunswick East</a> respectively.

10 of the projects located in either of the three postcodes are under construction, 13 at sales, 18 approved and 16 are currently before council. Most of those projects are located on the Brunswick activity strips of Sydney Road and Lygon Street however this might just be about to change.

<h2>Moreland's Neighbourhood Centres Strategy</h2>

The City of Moreland has liberally applied the residential growth zone to many parts of the municipality outside its three key activity centres of Brunswick, Coburg and <a href="/new-townhouses/glenroy-vic-3046">Glenroy</a> and the draft neighbourhood<a href="http://moreland.vic.gov.au/neighbourhood-centres-strategy"> </a>centres strategy now viewable on Moreland's <a href="http://moreland.vic.gov.au/neighbourhood-centres-strategy">website</a> seeks to clarify the council's vision for its second-tier activity centres.

In a nutshell the strategy aims to introduce controls to 11 of the 12 neighbourhood centres in Moreland. The neighbourhood centres are scattered throughout the municipality and include areas such as Grantham and Union Streets, Melville Road and Victoria Street in Brunswick West. Gaffney Street in <a href="/new-apartments/pascoe-vale-vic-3044">Pascoe Vale</a>, Merlynston, Fawkner and <a href="/new-townhouses/oak-park-vic-3046">Oak Park</a> are also on the list of areas where development will be encouraged.

The aforementioned areas come under the residential growth zone and in some part include mixed use and commercial 1 zones.

More than 50% of the <a href="http://moreland.vic.gov.au/globalassets/areas/amendments/amendmentslib-7208/c159/mcc3068-neighbourhoodcentresstrategy_v3.pdf">draft strategy document</a> is dedicated to design and built-form guidelines for the areas where development up to 4 levels is permissable.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/bruns_4_level.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Albert Street, Brunswick East"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="431" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bruns_4_level.png?itok=IZus8DTn" title="Albert Street, Brunswick East" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Albert Street, Brunswick East</figcaption></figure><h2>Should Moreland be aiming higher?</h2>

Great urban initiatives like <a href="/expert-insights/buying/letting-sydney-road-drown-in-a-traffic-sewer-is-not-an-option-its-time-to-revitalise-the-strip">Revitalise Sydney Road</a> are focused on reconfiguring the look, feel and operations of Sydney Road but is it time to think bigger and earmark sites on Sydney Road for future office-only uses?

Say a concept like that outlined by the Revitalise Sydney Road comes to fruition and the public transport capacity of the road is boosted, the amount of people who will be able to travel up and down from Moreland to the new Parkville Station will increase substantially.

Most of the office space on or near Sydney Road is contained above retail shops or as add-on components to warehouses west of the Upfield train line. A company with a requirement for 1000 square metres of modern office space would be hard pressed to find a site suitable in Brunswick which is curious given it is and will be a natural spill-over area for the biotech and health-focused Parkville area.

In a policy document dated 2011-2016, some of they key challenges for Moreland include 'continued loss of land for employment purposes to residential conversion', 'poor perception of the North as the place for business' and 'limited supply of quality office space'. Perhaps it's time for a commercial development and employment-focused strategy.
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Alastair Taylor

Crystal ball gazing: City of Moreland 

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Testament to the ever changing nature of Melburnian attitudes and propensity for apartment living is a particular site found in Brunswick West abutting Citylink.  A former industrial site bound by Albion Street, Duggan Street, Eggington Street and the aforementioned Citylink, the massive tract of land has laid dormant for many years, in the process traversing Melbourne's shift toward higher density living.
After a number of medium density proposals failed to materialise, a fraction of the site was finally developed with <a href="http://www.hickory.com.au/projects/olive-york-way/" target="_blank">2-6 Olive York Way</a> completed mid 2012.  Backed by National Sterling and built by Hickory Group, the three building complex yielded 140 apartments and five retail spaces as outlined in charcoal below.
Following a recent planning application submission to Moreland city Council, a new residential development of a comparable land size to 2-6 Olive York Way is seeking approval, albeit at near three times the density.  
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image3_22.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Site overview and project breakdown. Image © MAP Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image3_22.jpg?itok=R7OsoN2g" title="Site overview and project breakdown. Image © MAP Architecture" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>
With the land address 1-5 Olive York Way and after extensive pre-application discussions with Moreland City council planners, Equity Properties Pty Ltd have utilised <a href="http://www.maparchitecture.com.au/" target="_blank">MAP Architecture and Design</a> to deliver the three building complex on a land size of 5297m².  Working by the name 'The Complement', the staged development seeks to deliver an impressive 356 apartments. 
Heavy with multi coloured precast elements, glass and louvres, the buildings are substantially larger than that of 2-6 Olive York Way and would easily be visible from drivers utilising Citylink.  The northernmost building would constitute Stage 1,  where 101 apartments are expected with a split of 47 one bedroom and 54 two bedroom apartments.  One bedroom options within Stage 1 start at 44.5m², in isolation quite small yet taking into account the age and nature of many low-rise walk-up apartments buildings within Brunswick West (the majority of which are rentals), these are seemingly within reason.
Overall figures see 190 one bedroom options and 153 two bedroom options, 13 split level home offices monopolising the podium space with only the one retail space identified as a cafe.  One retail outlet seems light for a complex that may ultimately house 500+ individuals, although the adjoining 2-6 Olive York Way is heavy with retail offerings including an IGA; this apartment complex coming to fruition would no doubt be a boon to those retail operators.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image5_14.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Complement as envisaged from Albion Street. Image © MAP Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image5_14.jpg?itok=mMZ8k2zS" title="The Complement as envisaged from Albion Street. Image © MAP Architecture" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>
A segregated three level sub ground car park would cover the entire site area with allowances for 418 vehicles, 414 bicycles and 18 motorbikes. Multiple car park entry ramps facing Olive York Way are surrounded by home offices, with dedicated apartments commencing on level three.  Attached shadow diagrams show that during a winters day no shadows would be cast over the adjoining complex, only at sunset might shadowing become an issue.
Seen below is the landscape plan where a variety of trees, plants and grasses are utilised where possible. Bottle trees and gums will dominate the larger flora generally located in courtyards between buildings.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image7_17.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Landscape plan with site density plain to see. Image © MAP Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Image7_17.jpg?itok=N3H6D6C_" title="Landscape plan with site density plain to see. Image © MAP Architecture" typeof="foaf:Image"></a>
And now the crux of today's article, best summarised by the following question.  Is a development such as 1-5 Olive York Way more or less important than that of a inner city skyscraper?
Taking into account that a tower say in Melbourne's CBD or Southbank would hold a similar number of apartments (356), yet would be closer to parks, services, a wide spectrum of retail offerings an so on, why do they garner so much media attention?  The vast majority of Melburnians don't live within the City of Melbourne yet when a new tower receives media attention, particularly from certain media outlets, the ensuing diatribe goes something like this; it's destroying Melbourne's way of life, it's terrible, it's horrible - we're all going to die!
I would contend that developments such as 1-5 Olive York Way are indeed more important.  They may not be as visible as those of the inner city, yet as Melbourne gears up for further population increase, low and mid-rise developments such as 1-5 Olive York Way are paramount in curbing suburban sprawl and increasing urban density in line with the objectives of <a href="http://www.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">Plan Melbourne</a>.
If it's lucky 1-5 Olive York Way may attract an article from Moreland Leader and not much more, yet rightly or wrongly apartment developments such as 1-5 Olive York Way are the future and worthy of discussion.
 
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